Store refuses diabetic boy a Lidl bit of help

A YOUNG diabetic is recovering after being refused a chocolate bar by a shop, despite he and his friends - including the daughter of opera singer Russell Watson - saying he could slip into a coma that could cause brain damage or death.

A YOUNG diabetic is recovering after being refused a chocolate bar by a shop, despite he and his friends - including the daughter of opera singer Russell Watson - saying he could slip into a coma that could cause brain damage or death.

Sam Meyrick, 11, and his friends - including Rebecca Watson - were ordered out of the Lidl store in Irlam because the shop won't serve unaccompanied children.

They were sent out despite telling Lidl staff about the emergency.

Eating sugary food can be the difference between life and death for a diabetic like Sam, and the longer the wait the greater the chance he could have fallen seriously ill.

It took the intervention of a visiting senior manager to allow Sam into the store and he was given a Kit Kat. Lidl bosses confirmed their 'disappointment' with the manager who barred him.

Now Sam's furious family are demanding that the store, on the corner of Fairhills Road and Liverpool Road, relax their policy.

Sam's grandmother Joan Bird said: "We know the store's had problems with children in the past but this was clearly an emergency and they should be able to tell the difference."

Sam lives with his parents Sharon and Anthony, and brother Kristian, 16, and sister Hannah, eight, and his grandmother at Denham Drive, in Irlam. He has been a diabetic for a year and has also this year undergone an unsuccessful hole in the heart repair operation.

He was on his way home from Irlam and Cadishead Community High School with friends when he realised his blood sugar was getting low and he had left his emergency pack of chocolate and drinks back at school.

The students went into the store to buy a bar but were immediately ordered out by the manager.

The friends, who included Rebecca, 12, Lauren Gordon, aged 11, and Coby Golden and Daniel Soper-Dye, both 11, tried to explain but were again ordered to leave.

Mrs Bird said: "Sam was in tears and it was only when a man in the checkout queue came over and comforted him, that something was done.

"Sam was given a Kit Kat bar and came home but was still so upset that I went back to the store to complain and I have to say that the attitude of the duty manager was disgusting. I was absolutely furious. Sam has been through an awful lot this year and this can't have helped him.

"I'm grateful to his friends for sticking up for him."

A spokesperson for Lidl's confirmed they had a no unaccompanied children policy but added: "We are a little disappointed that the duty manager didn't find out what was going on before acting.

"The person who did give Sam the bar of chocolate was the area manager who was in the store at the time and she acted quickly and responsibly."